31 Slices
by Jaina Solo2
Summary: 31 Slices of Femslashy NCIS life. Various pairings. New slice every day in March. Stay tuned!
1. Not So Speedy

**Title: **Not So Speedy  
**Fandom: **NCIS  
**Pairing:** Ziva David/Abby Sciuto  
**Spoilers:** Mention of the events in _4.03 Singled Out  
_**Summary: **Ziva's a girl on a mission.  
**Rating: **PG  
**Disclaimer:** These characters belong to DPB, CBS, Paramount, et al. No copyright infringement is intended.  
**Author's Note: **NCIS is the fandom of the month on PassionPerfect in March. I'll be posting thirty-one slices of NCIS Femslash-y life this month, with hopefully one a day, so be sure to tune back in tomorrow!

* * *

The halls were dark. There wasn't a soul in sight, with the exception of a few janitorial personnel, who knew well enough to leave the small basement lab alone with it's often nocturnal forensic scientist, when Ziva hit the down button on the elevator. 

She tugged at the boxy grey jacket that she wore and pushed the thick rimmed glasses a bit further up her nose. This seemed a bit strange to her, quite the opposite of her usual goal for missions like this, but she would use whatever worked.

The doors opened and Ziva stepped quietly into Abby's lab. It was a more difficult task than usual given the clunky pumps that she was wearing.

Abby was bent over her microscope, carefully examining a sample of some kind. Ziva clasped her arms behind her back and tried not to focus on the way that the scarf around her neck reminded her of the time that an enemy operative had attempted to strangle her with a bed sheet.

Their was a lull in the thudding music and Ziva shifted her weight slightly from one foot to another. The slight movement caught Abby's attention and she jumped.

"Geez! Are you trying to give me a heart attack? I think you scared ten years off of me." Abby blinked and then rubbed at her eyes. She focused on Ziva again with a look of puzzlement. "And why are you dressed like that?"

"You like geeks, yes?" Ziva asked the question with a hint of a smile, taking a predatory step closer that was quite at odds with her look.

"Yes." Abby still seemed confused.

"Then do you not like how I look?"

Abby laughed. "I always like how you look, Ziva. Who wouldn't?"

"You do not seem as if you do. Tony does not stop watching my ass. You on the other hand..."

"Are better at not getting caught looking. Trust me," Abby said, moving towards Ziva. "I look."

"You could touch."

"You threatened to rip the arm off of the last guy who tried that and then use it to beat him. I was listening," Abby added with an emphatic bob of her head.

"You have permission."

"Why Ziva David, are you trying to seduce me," Abby said as she closed the distance between them. The fabric of Ziva's skirt was scratchy under her hands as she caught Ziva's hips and pulled her closer until Ziva was pressed against the line of her body.

"Yes," Ziva answered bluntly, wrapping one hand behind Abby's neck as she leaned up to kiss her.

"Well, I do have a thing for geeks," Abby muttered just before their lips met.


	2. Just Try It

**Title: **Just Try It  
**Fandom: **NCIS  
**Pairing:** Kate Todd/Abby Sciuto  
**Spoilers:** No spoilers  
**Summary: **Pure, unadulterated silliness.  
**Rating: **PG  
**Disclaimer:** These characters belong to DPB, CBS, Paramount, et al. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

"Come on, Kate. Just try it." Abby pouted slightly and looked up at Kate from under lowered eyelids. "Please."

Kate glared at Abby. "I don't know, Abs." She squirmed slightly, suddenly wishing that her slacks had pockets large enough for her to stick her hands into. "I'm just not sure I'd be comfortable just, you know, with you sitting there and watching."

Abby stepped forward putting her hands on her lover's hips and pulling her closer together. "Please, Kate? For me?" She shrugged and looked down. "I really think you'd like." She grinned and looked back up at Kate. "Actually I think with time you'd really come to love it. Have I ever led you wrong?"

Kate laughed, helpless against Abby's unique brand of charm. "Do you really want me to answer that, Abby?" 

Despite her question, she leaned into her lover, her hands slipping around Abby's neck. One hand played idly with the leather, spike studded collar around Abby's neck, her thumb stroking up and down in an idle rhythm on the back of her neck. 

"Um...no?" Abby's response seemed to warrant more thought than the question truly deserved.

Kate brushed her lips gently and deliberately against Abby's, pulling away after only a second. Her free hand slipped up to cup the side of Abby's face as she shifted her attention from Abby's lips. She pressed her lips to Abby's cheek, tantalizingly close to her lips, and then on her nose. Butterfly kisses on her eyes were followed by a brief peck on her forehead. 

Her hand slid down Abby's neck, and followed the line of her shoulder until it slipped down to Abby's waist, bringing their bodies flush against one another.

"Kate?" Abby's voice was breathy with desire and anticipation. 

"Yes," Kate drawled, sensing victory was at hand. 

"As completely awesome as this is, you're totally not going to distract me."

Kate straightened and stepped back, sagging abruptly. 

"Abby..."

"Caitlin Todd, you did not just whine." The slightly amused grin on Abby's face said that she found that incredibly adorable.

Kate glared. "I don't whine." 

"You could have fooled me," Abby said with a laugh. "Just try it." 

"Fine," Kate said abruptly, "Give it here." 

Abby handed it to her and watched. "There. Was that so bad?"

Kate scowled in response, but couldn't maintain the look. 

"How do you not drink this all day," Kate asked in amazement as she handed the Caf-Pow back to Abby.

"You forget," Abby said with an evil grin, "I do." 


	3. Loser!

**Title: **Loser!  
**Fandom: **NCIS  
**Pairing:** Kate Todd/Abby Sciuto  
**Spoilers:** No spoilers  
**Summary: **Kate looses a bet.  
**Rating: **PG  
**Disclaimer:** These characters belong to DPB, CBS, Paramount, et al. No copyright infringement is intended.

"You lost, Kate," Abby drawled. She was sitting on top of Kate's kitchen counter, her legs dangling over the edge. "It was all fair and square."

"That was not fair and square," Kate objected. "How was I supposed to know that Ensign Roth was lying."

"Gibbs gut," Abby replied instantly, with a smile.

"All of the evidence pointed towards Roth's commanding officer."

"You should always trust the gut," Abby admonished with an emphatic bob of her head. "It's never wrong."

Kate rolled her eyes. "I'm sure Gibbs has been wrong before."

Abby just looked at her. 

Kate raised an eyebrow. "Not even once?"

Abby just smiled and hopped down off of the counter. 

"You're avoiding the discussion, Kate."

Kate's eyes narrowed. "What discussion? I thought we were discussing Gibbs' gut."

"You're discussing Gibbs' gut. I was discussing the fact that you lost our bet and that you owe me," Abby said with a grin.

Kate laughed. "And what do I owe you? We never did formally set the terms, did we?"

"Nope," Abby said with a grin. She rubbed her hands together like an evil mastermind with an ingenious plan of doom. "You owe me a date."

Kate flushed and looked down. She wasn't quite sure what to say to Abby. 

"A date like a dinner and a walk through the park?" 

"Sure, and maybe you walk me to my door and kiss me goodnight," Abby said with a smile. "If you feel like it. Think you could handle that?"

Kate glanced up, intending to look away again just as quickly. The small look of doubt in Abby's eyes caught her attention immediately. The worry about what she, Kate, would say to Abby was plain. The look tugged on Kate's heart. 

She smiled over at Abby. "Yeah, I think I could handle that," she answered her softly. 


	4. Uncertain Welcome

**Title: **Uncertain Welcome  
**Fandom: **NCIS  
**Pairing:** Jenny/Ziva  
**Spoilers:** Spoilers for Kill Ari I & II.  
**Summary: **Ziva arrives earlier than anticipated.  
**Rating: **PG-13  
**Disclaimer:** These characters belong to DPB, CBS, Paramount, et al. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

Jenny sat up quickly, the covers falling down around her as she scooped her pistol from the nightstand. She sat very still and listened for a moment, straining to hear the sound that had woken her out of a solid slumber.

She didn't have long to wait. She recognized the light, staccato rapping of someone knocking on her front door. Still cautious, Jenny rose with her gun in hand, keeping to the shadows and away from windows as she made her way towards the door. It was after midnight and she wasn't expecting anyone. No one even knew she was back in D.C. yet.

The knock sounded again, louder and more impatient this time.

Jenny didn't immediately open the door, but slowly stretched until she could look out the peephole.

The sight of the curly, dark-haired woman on the opposite side of the door was enough to drop Jenny back on her heels and quickly take the chain off of the door. She undid the deadbolt and stepped aside as she swung it open.

"What are you doing here?" The words slipped out of her mouth before she could hold them in. She hadn't expected Ziva to arrive for another week; she'd been counting on the extra time to prepare Gibbs.

Ziva raised an eyebrow at her, even as she shouldered her bag and stepped past Jenny into the house.

"If I did not know otherwise, I would say that you are not happy to see me." She pivoted slowly to face Jenny, watching as Jenny shut the door and leaned back against it. She took a half-step forward and rested a hand on Jenny's shoulder, as she leaned up to press a lingering kiss to her cheek, just brushing the corner of her mouth. Time had passed and Ziva was all to aware of the things that had changed.

Jenny cupped the back of Ziva's head, threading her fingers through Ziva's silky hair before she could step away, and gently pulled her closer, until she could kiss Ziva fully on the lips. She kissed her until her pulse was racing and they were both left gasping for breath.

"It's complicated," Jenny murmured, resting her forehead against Ziva's.

"I see."

"Do you?"

There was silence in which Ziva wasn't certain what to say. Jenny let it hang for a moment and then shook her head.

"Do you need a place to stay?"

"For tonight, it would be nice," Ziva admitted. "I will go into NCIS early tomorrow morning."

Jenny thought about all of the things she could say to that, and decided on the simplest course of action.

"Come to bed."

She held out a hand to Ziva and when Ziva took it, squeezed it tightly in her own, before she led Ziva up to her room.


	5. A Quick Call

**Title: **A Quick Call  
**Fandom: **NCIS  
**Pairing:** Ziva/Courtney Krieger  
**Spoilers:** Spoilers for _5.04 Identity Crisis_  
**Summary: **Ziva gets an unexpected phone call.  
**Rating: **PG  
**Disclaimer:** These characters belong to DPB, CBS, Paramount, et al. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

"Going to answer that, David," Tony drawled from across the aisle. 

"Answer what, Tony," she asked distractedly, as she spoke into the phone. Almost two years of doing this told her that she was close to finding something.

"Your cell phone." Ziva had been in America long enough to hear the _"Genius" _on the end of that sentence without Tony actually having to say that. 

She rolled her eyes in his general direction and fished her cell phone out of her pocket. She muted the ringing noise and glanced at the button. A small, surprised smile slipped across her face.

A photographic memory had advantages and disadvantages. One of the advantages was the ability to remember a phone number that you had only seen once and still know who it belonged to. She slipped the phone back in her pocket and finished her other conversation triumphantly.

"Ha!" She waved the small piece of paper that she'd been hastily scribbling information on in Tony's general direction. "Lieutenant Arnett went to a psychologist!"

"And how is that helpful? They aren't allowed to talk to us. Doctor-Patient confidentiality, remember?"

"Gibbs will want him to be interviewed."

"Let me see that." Tony snatched at the paper. She let his hand slide off of it in futility and smirked. He glared and held his hand out. 

Ziva rose and dropped the paper into his hand as she brushed past him. The corner under the stairs was far from private, but it was the best she could do at the moment.

She redialed the number that had just called her. 

"Krieger," the voice on the other end of the phone snapped gruffly.

"Are you working on sounding more intimidating today?"

"Ziva!" 

The excitement in Courtney's voice was enough to make her chuckle. 

"I didn't expect to hear from you," Courtney continued more quietly.

"I was busy when you called," Ziva found herself explaining. "Working."

"I thought it might be that. Either that or you didn't want to talk to me."

"It was not that." Ziva reassured her. She wasn't quite certain why she hadn't called Courtney yet. It had been a week since she got her number. The time just hadn't seemed right. "I am glad you called."

"Yeah," Courtney agreed, "Me too." 

There was a muffled silence. Ziva could hear Courtney's faint breathing on the other side of the line. 

"Maybe tonight - if we manage to close this case - we could go out for a drink."

"Yes, absolutely." Ziva could picture Courtney's bright grin. It's enough to make her smile. "I'm still holding you to those fighting lessons though." 


	6. Small Gestures

**Title: **Small Gestures  
**Fandom: **NCIS  
**Pairing:** Ziva/Abby  
**Spoilers:** None.  
**Summary: **It's the small gestures that matter the most.  
**Rating: **PG  
**Disclaimer:** These characters belong to DPB, CBS, Paramount, et al. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

Ziva slipped her key into the lock and twisted as gently as she could, hoping that the bolt would slide back into place more quietly than usual. She breathed an inaudible sigh of relief when it didn't thud heavily back into place and carefully opened the door just enough for her to slip inside. Any further and it would have groaned loudly.

As a spy and assassin she viewed these various noises as an occasional annoyance, but in actuality a failsafe alarm system. It wasn't as if an assassin could know ever creaky door or loose floorboard in an apartment if they weren't intimately familiar with a place and most spies and assassins weren't. Tonight however, avoiding all of these noisy places was creating quite a bit of work for her.

She eased the door shut behind her, and remained standing where she was to slip out of first her shoes then her jacket. She picked both up to carry them with her and then straightened.

Ziva found herself staring directly at Abby who was staring back at her with equal directness.

Abby's hair was out of its usual pig-tails and hung down around her neck, almost concealing Ziva's favorite tattoo. She was sitting slumped back on the couch with a blanket haphazardly thrown over her. Dark makeup was smeared down her cheeks and Ziva could see the trails of tears where they'd made dark paths through it.

"Abby, what's wrong?" Ziva's voice sounded unnaturally loud in the silence of the apartment.

There was a long moment of silence where Ziva's heart began to pound. Fear and adrenaline were rapidly taking a hold on her, the worst case scenarios slipping into her mind with ease.

"Are you sleeping with someone else?"

The words were almost a relief to Ziva.

"Of course I am not sleeping with someone else, Abby." She dropped her shoes next to the coffee table and her jacket on top of it, before she went around it and sat down. Abby's hard glare kept her at the opposite end of the couch.

"I was working on -"

"You weren't working." Abby sat up quickly, the blanket falling down to her lap. "Gibbs already called for you."

Ziva cursed in annoyance when she remembered that she had turned her phone off several hours ago to insure that she wouldn't be interupted.

"Abby, let me explain." When Abby wouldn't look at her and didn't seem to be listening Ziva tried again. "Look at me, Abby."

Finally Abby turned her head slowly to glare at Ziva. Ziva took the opportunity given to sketch a few gestures through the air, bending her fingers in various movements.

It took a moment for the meaning to penetrate Abby's distraction.

"You're learning ASL?" Confusion was still evident in Abby's voice.

"Your parents are coming to visit you in a few weeks, yes? I wanted it to be a surprise."

Abby could only shake her head. When Ziva scooted closer and held out her arms she could only slide into them gratefully, laying her head on Ziva's shoulder.

"I'm sorry," she whispered. "Thank you."

Ziva's hands stroked her back gently as she placed a reassuring kiss on Abby's cheek.

"Only for you."


	7. The Right Choice

**Title: **The Right Choice  
**Fandom: **NCIS  
**Pairing:** Abby/Kate  
**Spoilers:** None.  
**Summary: **What's the right decision? Kate has to choose.  
**Rating: **PG  
**Disclaimer:** These characters belong to DPB, CBS, Paramount, et al. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

"I'm really not so sure about this, Abby."

Kate sank to a seat on the edge of her bed, crushing the phone between her shoulder and her cheek as she appraisingly held up an outfit in each hand.

"What's not to be sure about?" Abby asked as she paced around her apartment. Kate had called her up a few moments before, both exasperated and annoyed when Abby had answered the phone.

"He's a friend of DiNozzo's. That doesn't sound like a good beginning."

Abby couldn't stop from smiling. Kate's antagonism towards Tony was a well known fact in the office. It was equally well known that Tony liked to use that to wind Kate up any chance he got.

"Why did you say yes, then?" It was a question that Abby had been wanting the answer to since she'd heard who Kate was going out with. She was, Abby had to admit, slightly jealous of Tony's friend, even if she was well aware that Kate would never be interested in her as more than a friend.

"He was cute." Over the phone the statement sounded more like a question, and Kate's sigh following it was clearly audible. "I just hadn't been out in a while and it was flattering when he asked."

Abby made a sympathetic noise. The part of her that did not wish to be a sympathetic friend wanted to tell Kate that wasn't a good reason to go out with someone at all. 

"What do you think I should do?" Kate asked, dropping the outfits back on the bed beside her and letting herself flop backwards onto the soft surface until she was staring up at the ceiling.

"Don't go out with him." The words were out of Abby's mouth before she could stop them. There was an uncomfortably long moment of silence as she processed what she'd just said and how she'd blurted the words out so quickly. "I mean, if you're really not that interested, don't go. You shouldn't have to put yourself through all of the stilted conversation and awkward silences if you don't want to go."

"Tony won't let me here the end of it," Kate pointed out. "He'll want to know why I blew off his friend."

"Tony won't let you here the end of it, even if - especially if - you do go out with him," Abby countered. "Thought you'd already considered that."

Kate groaned. Clearly she had not considered it.

"I'm canceling," Kate said decisively a moment later. She sat up and looked at the little back dress she'd been holding up in her left hand a few moments before. "Although," she said pensively, "I am all dressed up now with no where to go."

"Oh?" Abby said, struggling to sound casual. "Well you could come over. Maybe we could find somewhere to go. Wouldn't want to waste you getting all dressed up."

"Yeah," Kate agreed with a more than satisfied smile on her face, "I think a girl's night out sounds really nice."

"Okay," Abby agreed, "See you in a few."

Kate dropped the phone to the bed and began stripping out of her clothes, now certain of what she was going to wear. 

"Now, maybe I'll even get lucky without having to hear about it from Tony tomorrow morning," Kate murmured to herself as she walked towards the bathroom to finish changing. 


	8. Not Quite Right

**Title: **Not Quite Right  
**Fandom: **NCIS  
**Pairing:** Jenny/Ziva  
**Spoilers:** None.  
**Summary: **Ziva goes to see Jenny. Set just after _4.04 Silver War_.  
**Rating: **Very light R?  
**Disclaimer:** These characters belong to DPB, CBS, Paramount, et al. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

She hears a soft click and looks up to find Ziva shutting the door to her office and sliding the lock shut into place. 

"Ziva, what are you doing here?" She's caught between a smile and a frown. She's glad to see the younger woman; she's genuinely happy to have her here at NCIS, but she's curious about why Ziva is here now. Jenny thought that she was practically the only one still left in the building this late at night. "It's late."

Jenny doesn't find it at all disturbing that Ziva locked the door behind her. She trusts Ziva with her life and has proven that more than once. What worries her now is the look in Ziva's eyes, the pain that's so plainly written there for anyone who knows how to read it.

"Ziva." Her voice is low and soothing now, the polite, formal, professional tone gone now as she rises and steps out from behind her desk and towards her.

The light on her desk is the only one still on and it throws long shadows over the room. Ziva's head is tilted down and the shadows engulf her face, concealing her expression from Jenny's concerned gaze.

Slowly Jenny reaches out and brushes a lock of Ziva's dark, curly hair out of her face and tucks it behind Ziva's ear. The gesture turns from one of habit into a caress as her hand follows the line of Ziva's neck until it comes to rest on her shoulder. It's then that Ziva looks up at her.

She moves so quickly that Jenny almost stumbles. One hand is tangled in Jenny's hair, clutching at the short strands so hard it almost hurts. Ziva's other hand is at her hip, tugging her around and holding her close as she backs Jenny up against the wall. Her lips are almost painful against Jenny's as she presses against them with desperate, bruising intensity.

Now Ziva is tugging at the zipper of her pants and Jenny gasps. She can hardly think as Ziva overwhelms her. Her eyes fall shut and her head tips back against the wall. A ragged breath escapes from her lips and her fingers clench around Ziva's shoulder. She squeezes harder.

"Ziva." Jenny's hand shoots away from the wall where she's been bracing herself and clenches around Ziva's wrist, stopping her. "Ziva," she repeats again, in a stronger voice this time. "We can't do this anymore."

When Ziva looks up at her, Jenny wants to take the words back so badly that she can almost taste them on their tongue. Instead she bites it to keep from saying the words that she wants to.

Ziva's hands slowly slip from her body and she takes a step away putting space between them. The look of desperation in her eyes frightens Jenny and she wonders how bad Ziva's nightmares have gotten since she was forced to kill Ari.

And for a moment, as Ziva turns slowly and walks away, Jenny wishes very badly, that things could be different for them both. 


	9. Pointed Demonstration

**Title: **Pointed Demonstration  
**Fandom: **NCIS  
**Pairing:** Jenny/Ziva  
**Spoilers:** None.  
**Summary: **The team watches Ziva practice.  
**Rating: **PG?  
**Disclaimer:** These characters belong to DPB, CBS, Paramount, et al. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

The knife flashed through the air, flipping end over end faster than the eye could follow. It slammed into the wall and stuck, quivering with the impact. Almost an inch of blade was buried from sight in the wooden target.

"Wow." McGee was looking between Ziva and the target with an impressed, but slightly scared look on his face.

"Very impressive, Ziva," Tony drawled out her name in the way that he knew irritated her.

Ziva frowned slightly. She was slightly out of practice. Once she'd been able to determine whether she struck her target with the blade or the handle of the knife. It was a shame. She would have loved to demonstrate that skill to Tony at that particular moment. Leaving him with a resounding headache would have been her pleasure.

She ignored the men standing on either side of her and picked up the second knife. She paused, cocked her arm back and threw it in one smooth motion. 

McGee choked. Tony's cough sounded forced, almost as if he'd been caught between laughing and choking himself. He turned to gloat at Ziva with a smirk.

"I think you missed, Ziva," He pointed to her second target. "The heart is a little bit higher...and to the left."

"Ah, but you would be wrong, Tony. I hit exactly what I was aiming for."

McGee swallowed. "Ah, right. I think I'll just go, uh, do something. Somewhere else."

"There was no need to scare the Probie like that, Ziva," Tony said in a mock-scolding voice.

"Perhaps he was not frightened. He may have been taking appropriate caution."

"Ah-ah, I don't buy that scary Mossad-assassin act, Ziva."

"It is not an act, Tony."

There was something about the way that she said those words that stopped Tony short. He looked in her eyes and what she saw kept him from making another glib remark.

"Maybe Probie's right. You are one scary woman, Ziva."

She smiled as if he'd just given her a compliment. Ziva held the smile until he was gone. Then she frowned and went to collect the knives that she'd already lodged in the target.

"Didn't Gibbs warn you about scaring the boys?"

The low purr of Jenny's voice made Ziva freeze in place. She wondered how long the Director had been watching them in silence.

"Tony does not make it easy to resist," Ziva admitted as she paced back to the place where she'd been standing before and chose a third target.

"Did you really do that on purpose?" 

Ziva turned a hurt look on her. "Of course. I am not that out of practice." She turned her attention back to the target, and tried not to look back again as she heard Jenny moving up behind her. 

Bringing her arm back for another throw, Ziva took a breath and then her arm lurched forward in a clumsy move as she felt warm fingers come into contact with silky skin.

The knife flew from her fingers and skittered across the floor until it slammed into the base of the target.

"Oh, you look pretty out of practice to me," Jenny remarked calmly.

"That," Ziva said plaintively, "Was not fair."

"I think you just need more practice," Jenny countered. "After all, practice makes perfect." 


	10. CafPow Strikes Again!

**Title: **Caf-Pow Strikes Again!  
**Fandom: **NCIS  
**Pairing:** Jenny/Abby  
**Spoilers:** None.  
**Summary: **Jenny brings Abby a Caf-Pow!  
**Rating: **PG?  
**Disclaimer:** These characters belong to DPB, CBS, Paramount, et al. No copyright infringement is intended.  
**Author's Note: **I was trying to see if I could make this pairing work. I think the verdict's still out.

* * *

"Are you asking me out, Madame Director?"

"I'm sorry?" 

Abby smirked at the Director over her shoulder as she raised the brand new Caf-Pow that Jenny had just brought her in mock-salute.

"People only bring me these for two reasons - they want me to work faster, so that Gibbs won't chew them out, or they want to go out with me. I'm betting that you couldn't care less about what Gibbs wants."

"Ah-" Jenny was still at a loss for words. It was probably the first time since she'd been promoted to Director. She'd always been good with talking her way in to or out of whatever she wanted.

Abby put down the Caf-Pow and turned. Her eyebrows shot up and vanished underneath her dark bangs. 

"I was right? Seriously? Because I was just saying that. Gibbs says I have no idea when to shut up and and when to keep talking. But when you think about it, that must be kind of an NCIS thing, right? I mean, of course, you've heard Ducky's stories, but when Tony gets going, now that's something else-"

Jenny clapped a hand over Abby's mouth.

"You weren't right, but maybe not wrong."

"I'm confused." Except for from behind Jenny's hand it just came out in an unrecognizable mumble. Obligingly Jenny moved her hand and Abby repeated herself.

"So am I." 

"I mean, I thought you and Ziva-" Abby let her voice trail off, suddenly uncertain if she'd said too much.

Jenny looked startled for a moment. "We used to, but that was a long time ago," she admitted calmly, sounding more like herself now. She straightened and laced her hands together in front of her. "Abby, I'm not sure why I brought you that. You're an attractive young woman." She smiled. "It's hard not to notice that. I brought you the Caf-Pow because I wanted to. I didn't think it past that."

"Okay," Abby excepted the explanation easily and took another sip. "I can handle that." She nodded and Jenny waited another moment. 

She watched as Abby gradually got back to her work, seeming totally unselfconcious, even though she had to realize that Jenny was still watching her. She noticed the way that Abby moved, the hint of a bounce in her step and the carefully controlled energy in every move she made. She smiled, mostly to herself, and turned away heading towards the elevator to take her back up to her own domain.

"You know-"

Abby's voice stopped her as she was almost to the door and made her turn back around. 

"If you wanted to bring another one of those sometime, I wouldn't mind."

"I think I'd like that, Abby."

And Jenny meant it. She'd just have to wait for the moment Abby was least expecting it. She had to return the favor, after all. 


	11. Return of the CafPow!

**Title: **Return of the Caf-Pow!  
**Fandom: **NCIS  
**Pairing:** Jenny/Abby  
**Spoilers:** None.  
**Summary: **Someone else brings Abby a Caf-Pow!  
**Rating: **PG?  
**Disclaimer:** These characters belong to DPB, CBS, Paramount, et al. No copyright infringement is intended.  
**Author's Note: **I was trying to see if I could make this pairing work. I think the verdict's still out.

* * *

Abby's smile brightened as she saw Jenny walk into her lab. She resisted the urge to go and throw her arms around Jenny and instead wrapped her arms tightly around her waist. It was her least favorite part of being with Jenny. As McGee had once said, she sometimes misplaced the appropriate and it had a habit of upsetting some people.

The look in Jenny's eyes was almost enough to make up for it. The way her expression shifted subtly when she saw Abby and her hand brushed against the small of Abby's back as she came over to look at the trace that Abby was currently examining.

"What's this?" Jenny gestured to the indistinguishable sample in front of Abby.

Abby shrugged. "That's what I'm trying to figure out. Timmy brought it down for me. It's from their latest case. I pried it out of the sole of the vic's shoe, but it doesn't seem to be any kind of rock. I'm thinking that it might be a type of flooring. If I can identify it..."

She gestured enthusiastically with her hands as she spoke. Jenny wondered occasionally if it was a remnant of a childhood habit from growing up with deaf parents and constantly signing. Abby didn't notice her momentary distraction and only paused to grab the Caf-Pow sitting beside her. 

Jenny felt an involuntary surge of irritation when she saw the monster size cup of the highly caffeinated beverage.

"Gibbs hasn't been down for answers then, yet?" 

Abby cocked her head at Jenny, surprise written clearly on her face, at the sudden harsh tone of Jenny's voice. 

"No, he hasn't. Timmy just brought this stuff." 

"So he brought you a refill too?" Jenny folded her arms across her chest and subtly shifted away from Abby. 

"What?" Abby was genuinely confused by Jenny's sudden change of topic.

"Yeah, I guess. He wanted me motivated."

Jenny couldn't keep a frown from forming. "Motivated or something else?"

"Jen?" The warning tone in Abby's voice demanded an explanation. Her eyes narrowed as she began to realize what Jenny was implying.

Jenny sighed and then gave in. She knew that Abby would wring a confession out of her eventually. She might as well explain now, despite how silly it made her feel.

"I don't like it when other people bring you Caf-Pow." 

Abby stared at her blankly. "You don't mind it when Gibbs..."

"Gibbs is different," Jenny waved that aside with a quick gesture. "It's just that everyone seems to fall under your spell when they meet you. Everyone adores you. Tony, McGee, even Ziva tries to stay off of your bad side, and I just hate it sometimes when I see them with you. Teasing and flirting..." Jenny sighed and trailed off. She knew how ridiculous what she was saying sounded, but it was how she felt sometimes, watching Abby's crowd of admirers flit around her, trying to win her approval. "I don't want you take a Caf-Pow from just anyone."

"Jenny..."

"It's stupid. I know. I'm sorry." Jenny bit off the words. Suddenly she wanted to be anywhere but Abby's lab having this conversation.

"It's not stupid." Abby paused and shrugged her shoulders. "Well, maybe it is a little bit silly, but I understand. I think it's sweet that you care." She shot a longing, regretful look at her Caf-Pow and then picked it up slowly. "If it means that much to you..." She walked over to the garbage can, closed her eyes and dropped it in before she could stop herself.

Jenny laughed involuntarily, her hand flying up to cover her mouth in the next instant. She closed the difference between she and Abby, and before she could think about it and talk herself out of it, she leaned down and placed a quick kiss on the corner of Abby's mouth.

"Thank you for humoring me." 

Abby shrugged, a mischievous smile working its way across her lips. "This just means you have to come see me more often."

"Oh, I don't think that'll be a problem," Jenny answered her. "No problem at all." 


	12. Absence

**Title: **Absence  
**Fandom: **NCIS  
**Pairing:** Ziva/Abby  
**Spoilers:** Hiatus 1 & 2  
**Summary: **Gibbs leaves. What happens to those that remain behind?  
**Rating: **PG  
**Disclaimer:** These characters belong to DPB, CBS, Paramount, et al. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

She sits at her desk for a while after Ducky drives Gibbs home. Tony is called up to the Director's office and McGee is unusually silent. She watches him for a moment, vaguely hoping that this will be one of the moments that he choses to speak to her - to realize that she is not always a tough Mossad agent without feelings or emotions. Today though, Timothy is too wrapped up in Gibbs' absence to notice her.

She's walking towards the elevator before she realizes what she's doing. Abby doesn't acknowledge her when she enters her lab. She doesn't look up from her work. She just continues. She processes a fingerprint into the computer and starts a search. A substance is scraped off a shirt, introduced into a test beaker and put into the mass spectrometer. Ziva watches her until she can't stand the zombie like motions any longer. This isn't like Abby.

Ziva steps in front of her as she moves from her computer to the counter that she likes to spread evidence out on. Abby squeezes her eyes so tightly shut that Ziva can see little wrinkles form in the corners of her eyes. Her fists clench at her side. When she opens them again, Ziva is still staring at her and she hasn't moved. Abby pushes past her, jostling Ziva roughly out of the way. 

Ziva reaches out with speed Abby can't evade, and grabs her wrist, pulling her back around to face her.

"Let me go," Abby breathes the words in a low voice. It's the first time she's spoken.

"No." Ziva answers her simply.

"I said let go." Abby yanks at her wrist, but Ziva refuses to loosen her grip. It's firm, steady and unmoving, but not painful. "Just let me do my job, Ziva."

"This is not you doing your job. This is like a sod-person you."

"Pop Person," Abby corrects with a grimace. "Why won't you just leave me alone?"

"Because Gibbs would not want you to be sad and alone."

"Well, Gibbs isn't here, is he," Abby retorts, "And besides, why do you care."

"I do care. Is that not enough? Is that not what you wished?" Ziva's voice breaks on the last word and Abby stares. She had never expected to see this from Ziva, and she isn't quite sure what to say.

Her hands flutter at her sides. A wild idea flits through her mind and then she is clasping both sides of Ziva's face in her hands, pulling her closer and bruising her lips against Ziva's. She repeats the motion more gently, and then swipes her tongue across them, seeking to deepen the kiss. Ziva responds without hesitation, opening her mouth and letting Abby in. 

Slowly, gradually the kiss eases until Ziva pulls away to look Abby in the eyes.

"What was that," she asks slowly.

A kiss" Abby shrugs at a loss for words once again in the wake of her impulsive idea. "It was Tony's suggestion."

"Tony is, perhaps, not so dumb as he sometimes seems," Ziva allows, her fingers tracing slowly over her lips.

"Yeah," Abby says with a faint smile, "I think you're right."

Gibbs was still gone, but just for a moment it had been nice to forget the oppressive absence of his departure. 


	13. Settling In

**Title: **Settling In  
**Fandom: **NCIS  
**Pairing:** Jenny/Ziva  
**Spoilers:** 4.03 Silver War  
**Summary: **Jenny can't stand it any longer.  
**Rating: **PG  
**Disclaimer:** These characters belong to DPB, CBS, Paramount, et al. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

There isn't much furniture in the apartment and, Jenny would be willing to bet, there are even fewer personal belongings.

The pantry shelves are nearly bare, but when she opens the refrigerator she finds a treasure trove of cartons of leftover Chinese food. She smiles. Some things about Ziva never changed; apparently her atrocious eating habits are among them.

"You are slooping again," Ziva calls out with mock-outrage as she sees Jenny looking through the contents of her refrigerator.

Jenny laughs. "I am not _snooping_. I'm observing in an attempt to ensure the well being of my newest agent. It would look bad on my record if she died of food poisoning in the first week."

"You cannot fool me. Your record is not the only thing you are concerned about," Ziva teases her. "Ask before you cannot stand it any longer."

Jenny reaches a hand up to cup Ziva's face, and strokes her cheek in a tender gesture. 

"You know me too well," she murmurs, wondering when she and Ziva had shifted from casual lovers to something more.

Ziva presses her lips against the base of Jenny's wrist. Jenny catches her breath with a ragged hiss.

"How are you settling in?" Jenny's words are a breathy, almost inaudible whisper.

"I will be fine. I am always fine. Although," Ziva qualifies her words as another though occurs to her, "I believe many of my coworkers would be very jealous if they knew how close I was to their new Director."

Jenny laughs, and under Ziva's direct gaze feels the first hint of a blush spreading over her cheeks. Only Ziva can do that to her and she hates it. 

"I'll get you for that."

Ziva smirks. "You will try." 

_Coming to see how Ziva was settling in_, Jenny thinks, _was a very good idea_. 


	14. The Thing About Coffins

**Title: **The Thing About Coffins...  
**Fandom: **NCIS  
**Pairing:** Abby/Kate  
**Spoilers:** None in particular  
**Summary: **Kate's slightly nervous when Abby squeezes her fingers and leads her gently in her apartment.  
**Rating: **PG  
**Disclaimer:** These characters belong to DPB, CBS, Paramount, et al. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

Kate's slightly nervous when Abby squeezes her fingers and leads her gently in her apartment. It feels like a swarm of butterflies are trapped in her stomach. She almost can't believe she's here with Abby, about to do whatever they're about to do. She can't believe she agreed to go out to dinner with Abby to begin with. Not that Abby isn't gorgeous, charming, funny and impossibly smart, because she is. She's also completely unlike anyone else that Kate's ever known. That's the only reason that she's here. She has a feeling that if she didn't take this opportunity, she would regret it for a very long time.

Now that she's actually here though, the slow burn of nerves that has been simmering in the back of her mind has exploded. She wonders if Abby can feel her trembling through their joined hands.

"Kate?" The worry in Abby's voice catches her attention immediately and Kate knows that some of what she's feeling must be showing. "Still with me?" Abby asks her gently.

"Yeah." She takes a deep breath and slowly lets it out. She tries to smile for Abby, but it doesn't quite work as well as she's hoped. "Yeah, I'm here."

"Good, because I'm glad you're here." Abby's smile is growing even brighter and just seeing it Kate feels her own smile growing. Abby's happiness has always been infectious for her like that. "You want the nickel tour?"

"Sure, that would be great." Kate tries to force herself to relax as Abby leads her from room to room. Despite her nerves, Kate finds herself interested. Her training teaches her to notice the little things and she does. Abby has accumulated more than a few things that Kate finds fascinating and unique. It only makes her want to know more about Abby.

"This is my room," Abby holds open the door to a small room and Kate finds herself staring at a coffin.

There are other things in the room, of course. A dresser with a small mirror, a closet, some artwork, mainly photos that Kate recognizes as Abby's style, but what she can't help coming back to every time her eyes start to stray away is that coffin in place of a bed.

"I thought it was just a rumor."

"Oh." Abby bounces lightly on the balls of her feet. "No, well, I mean it might be by now, but it's a true rumor. Obviously. As you can see."

The babbling and the slightly worried look in Abby's eyes makes Kate smile. She knows that Abby's worried that this will be the final straw that freaks her out, but somehow she finds herself calming down.

"You really sleep in there?" There's no judgment in her voice now, just curiosity.

"Yeah, it's pretty comfy actually. You'd be surprised..."

"Show me?"

"Kate." There's hesitation in Abby's voice, and a hint of worry.

"I'm a big girl, Abs. I can take care of myself." Kate smiles involuntarily at the absurdity of that statement, but follows it up by pulling Abby closer to her. "I'm sure."

Abby studies her for a moment, looking into her eyes. Kate wants to flinch away from the intensity of her gaze, but holds it steadily until Abby gives a small nod and pulls her into her arms. Her hands begin to stroke slowly up and down Kate's side.

"So, the thing about coffins is..."


	15. Moving On Along

**Title: **Moving On Along  
**Fandom: **NCIS  
**Pairing:** Jenny/Ziva, Ziva/Abby  
**Spoilers:** None in particular  
**Summary: **Misunderstands abound.  
**Rating: **PG  
**Disclaimer:** These characters belong to DPB, CBS, Paramount, et al. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

Jenny was perched on the edge of Ziva's desk, amusement and embarrassed disapproval warring for prominence on her features.

"Ziva," she protested as the younger woman laughed. "You're going to ruin my image as Director."

The look Ziva turned on her was knowing. "But you forget, it was your idea."

Jenny folded her arms over her chest as she rolled her eyes and looked away. Unfortunately she found herself looking at Tony's far too eager smirk. It was hardly an improvement. She turned back to Ziva.

"Go ahead then. Tell them."

Jenny did her best to hold her head high and join in with the laughter as Ziva recounted a particularly embarrassing story from one of the first missions they had gone on together. The story didn't put her skills in the best light and her agents would definitely get a laugh out of it. What she remembered most about that mission was the short time after it. The way Ziva's hair felt against her bare skin and the low wicked sound of Ziva's chuckle in her ear.

Jenny didn't realize how she was looking at Ziva, remembered closeness and a still present fondness for the other woman showing on her features, until she felt a glare burning into her back. Jenny glanced back as Abby stalked past her, managing to jostle Jenny's shoulder as she marched past, and forcefully dropped the evidence on Gibbs' desk.

Silence fell slowly and awkwardly over them all. Without a word, Abby turned and headed back towards the elevator. Jenny glanced at Ziva, wondering if she knew what that had been about and then at the badly concealed stricken look on Ziva's face, realization struck.

One more glance between Abby and Ziva confirmed her suspicions and Jenny wondered why it had taken her so long to realize how close they'd gotten. While they were discreet, their closeness was blatantly obvious when she looked for it.

Pinning Tony with a stern look that made him quickly glance back at the work that he'd been neglecting in favor of listening to Ziva, Jenny stood and turned so that her back was to the rest of the desks and only Ziva was facing her.

"You should go talk to her," Jenny stated, in a low voice that wouldn't carry any further than Ziva.

Ziva looked up at Jenny sharply. "What do you-"

"Ziva," Jenny chided her softly.

Ziva stood abruptly, suddenly putting herself almost eye to eye with Jenny. "She is jealous. She thinks that I still have feelings for you."

Jenny stiffened and folded her arms across her chest. What she felt for Ziva was fondness certainly, the distant remembrance of old feelings, but things were different now. They had to be, and she reminded herself of that on a nearly daily basis.

"So go tell her that she's wrong. Tell her that you care about her - that is, if you do care about her." She allowed a wry smirk to slip over her lips. "You can be a little hard to read, Ziva."

Ziva studied her for a moment, a thousand thoughts flashing by just hidden behind her dark eyes as Jenny stared back. Then she blinked. She raised herself on the tip of her toes for just an instant and kissed Jenny's cheek lightly.

"Thank you, Jen," Ziva whispered lightly as she stepped away.

Jenny nodded and watched Ziva walk away, keeping sight of her until she stepped onto the elevator. With a small, almost inaudible sigh, Jenny collected herself and slowly began to walk back to her office.

"You're welcome, Ziva," she murmured entirely to herself. 


	16. Weighed Decisions

**Title: **Weighed Decisions  
**Fandom: **NCIS  
**Pairing:** Jenny/Ziva,  
**Spoilers:** 4.03 Silver War, I suppose.  
**Summary: **Jenny has an idea and weighs the decision in her mind.  
**Rating: **PG  
**Disclaimer:** These characters belong to DPB, CBS, Paramount, et al. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

Jenny considers the papers in her hand. She needs to move on to focus on the rest of the things that she needs to take care of, but instead she's weighing this paper in her hands. She hasn't faced this much indecision about making a choice in years, not since she went on her first missions as a young agent.

The cons of this particular decision are obvious: potentially wrecking one of her best teams, earning Jethro's complete hatred and all around refusal to cooperate and totally destroying the trust between she and Ziva.

On the other hand, there's always the possibility that this will work. Gibbs might accept Ziva. If he does, his team will in time. Anything that gets Ziva farther away from her father will always be welcome in Jenny or Ziva's book. The selfish part of Jenny just wants Ziva closer.

The chance for them to work together and see one another has been growing slimmer since they stopped working their way across Eastern Europe. Is her selfish desire worth dragging Ziva halfway across the world? Jenny is willing to freely admit (at least inside her own head) that she has no idea what would happen between she and Ziva if Ziva did agree to come here. She doesn't even know what Ziva would say.

It's a lot to consider. She's been putting it off for almost a week now. Tonight is the deadline that she's set for herself. Jenny takes one last glance at the paper and puts her signature to it with a flourish. It's done now.

She wonders how likely it is that she could slip away from her desk for a few days to make her request in person. The thought of the disapproving look on Cynthia's face gets her through the next stack of paperwork. 


	17. A History of Kate

**Title: **A History of Kate  
**Fandom: **NCIS  
**Pairing:** Kate/Ziva  
**Spoilers:** None.  
**Summary: **The history of Kate and how she came to be who she was.  
**Author's Note: **I borrowed with permission the name of Trudy for Kate's mom, from **geonncannon**'s fic _The Goth Who Came To Dinner_.  
**Rating: **PG  
**Disclaimer:** These characters belong to DPB, CBS, Paramount, et al. No copyright infringement is intended.

�

* * *

�

Trudy Todd was an interesting woman full of personality. Or at least that was how Kate had heard more than one person who was trying to be polite, describe her mother. Personally Kate thought that her mother was insane, or at least severely kooky.

Trudy Todd raised her children in a free 'no rules' environment. There were no such things as bedtimes or eating all your vegetables. Free thinking was encouraged, and the wilder the idea the better. It was every child's wildest dream come true, except that Kate couldn't stand it.

She couldn't stand the way that the kids at school stared at she and her brothers when they came to school wearing an eclectic assortment of mismatched clothes, or the way that her mother would suddenly starting speaking rapidly about things that made no sense.

The worst times came when something that Trudy Todd said did make sense. It never did at the time, but later on, much later, it would make sense. That frightened Kate the most.

So Kate became fond of the rules. She learned them all and followed them to the letter. She became the person that didn't stand out except for in the way that the excelled. She wore the right clothes and said the right things. She went to church every Sunday that she could manage it and she meant it. Nothing that she did was outrageous or worthy of provoking a raised brow. Not until she met an NCIS agent named L.J. Gibbs.

Then she threw away the life she'd steadily built for herself in exchange for something less exciting but more adventurous. For the first time in years her blood sang through her veins.

When Kate Todd met Ziva David, she was still flowing along in the spirit of this new life, free to take chances and do things that she hasn't even dared to think about in years. Ziva laughed. The cant of her head and the slow, confidence of her smile made Kate want to follow her anywhere and she did for a time.

They met infrequently due to both of their jobs.

Kate tilted her head just so and a shadow fell across Ziva's face. The subtle play of light made Kate frown and she leaned forward to brush a stray strand of Ziva's wayward hair back out of her face. Her thumb caressed the lines of Ziva's cheek as she tucked the hair behind Ziva's ear.

The gesture and something about the way that Ziva was looking at her made Kate remember something her mother had told her as a young child, something that had frightened her greatly at the time, but that she'd long since otherwise forgotten.

"You're the woman my mother warned me about, aren't you?" Kate asked in a low whisper.

"Caitlin-"

Kate silenced her by placing a finger over her lips. In that moment she believed that Ziva would tell her anything she asked, and Kate decided she didn't want to know.

"Don't," Kate said softly as she leaned forwards and kissed her. "Just don't," she murmured as their lips parted for a moment.

She wanted to live.


	18. Working Moments

**Title: **Working Moments  
**Fandom: **NCIS  
**Pairing:** Ziva/Jenny  
**Spoilers:** None.  
**Summary: **Ziva/Jenny sweetness. I got tired of being mean.  
**Rating: **PG  
**Disclaimer:** These characters belong to DPB, CBS, Paramount, et al. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

"You are working far too hard, yes?"

Jenny glanced up from the paperwork strewn liberally across her desk. She sat back in her chair and slipped off her glasses, setting them gently on the desk in front of her. She pinched the bridge of her nose and wished away the headache that was building behind her eyes, as she closed them for just a moment.

She opened her eyes again to find Ziva standing in front of her desk now. Jenny took a moment to study her openly. She was wearing tan cargo pants that were about the color of desert camouflage, a dark black tank top that bared the golden skin of her shoulders and a light, army-green jacket. Heavy combat boots completed the outfit.

It was, Jenny knew, Ziva at her most casual, enjoying a day off with no particular plans, as she should be. After all, Jenny was the one in the office working on a Saturday.

"Jen." Ziva looked bemused as Jenny's head snapped up from her slow perusal to meet her eyes.

A hint of red flushed her cheeks as she realized that Ziva had caught her staring. If the look on Ziva's face was any indication, she didn't particularly seem to mind however.

Jenny cleared her throat and tried to gather her thoughts for a coherent reply. "I have to finish this, Ziva. I-"

"You are the Director, if you cannot take a day off, then who can?"

Jenny folded her arms over her chest and raised an eyebrow. "Did your father ever take a day off?"

Her comment provoked the expected scowl from Ziva. Jenny was trampling on a sensitive subject and she knew it. Only her desire to keep Ziva from seeing how flustered she was by Ziva's sudden appearance had made her go on the offensive.

"One would hope that you are smarter than my father," Ziva countered.

Jenny didn't try to stifle a small laugh at that.

"What did you have in mind," she asked Ziva.

A triumphant smile flashed across Ziva's face.

"I was thinking the afternoon at the shooting range, and tonight...tonight we shall see."

Jenny stood, only sparing one last look for the papers on her desk. She didn't take Ziva's hand, or even stand closer to her as they both filed out of her office. But as they made their way out of the building, Jenny could feel her smile growing, the tension that had been locked into her body easing, and excitement slowly building as she thought about what the rest of the day would bring.

And despite her protests, she was very glad that Ziva had dragged her out of her office, at least for one day.\/p\/p


	19. New Year

**Title: **New Year  
**Fandom: **NCIS  
**Pairing:** Ziva/Abby  
**Spoilers:** None.  
**Summary: **Random fluffiness involving the new year.  
**Rating: **PG  
**Disclaimer:** These characters belong to DPB, CBS, Paramount, et al. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

"Happy New Year!"

The cheerful shouts, loud music, ear-piercing whistles and general bedlam of a crowd of people talking all at once in a small room was drowned out when Abby threw her arms around Ziva's neck and then stepped back and kissed her soundly.

Ziva's shock wore off in the first instant. It was a holiday tradition, after all. Or so many people had told her. As Abby's lips lingered longer, Ziva began to doubt her intentions. Or rather she began to doubt her interpretation of Abby's intentions.

Instead of letting her go, Abby was deepening the kiss. She showed no sign of letting go as she wound her fingers through Ziva's hair. Her tongue slipped into Ziva's mouth.

Ziva didn't hesitate, didn't consider a moment longer. Her hand slipped down to Abby's hips, pulling her closer. She lost herself in the feel of Abby's lips, the unique smell that clung to her. The sound of her pulse pounding loudly in her own ears drowned out the noise of the party.

Slowly the kiss shifted from fierce to gently and then carefully they stepped back from one another as much as the crowded room would allow.

Abby stared at Ziva, searching her eyes for a hint of what she was thinking or feeling.

Smiling, Ziva lifted a hand to stroke her cheek.

"Why did you wait so long?"

Abby hissed and thudded a fist against Ziva's shoulder.

"I wasn't sure if you were interested."

Ziva let out a throaty chuckle. "How could I not be interested," she whispered into Abby's ear as she wrapped her arms around the taller goth and sank into her embrace. 


	20. Ghosts

**Title: **Ghost  
**Fandom: **NCIS  
**Pairing:** Ziva/Abby  
**Spoilers:** For 5.05 Chimaera.  
**Summary: **There is one thing that frightens Ziva David.  
**Rating: **PG-13  
**Disclaimer:** These characters belong to DPB, CBS, Paramount, et al. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

Ziva David rarely admits to being frightened of anything. This does not mean that she's never been frightened, just that she's very good at not admitting it.

Ghosts have always frightened her, even if death was never foreign to her. As a child she saw far too much of it. She's stood in places where a dozen people have died and she swears she can feel their presence - pain, anger and terror are all that's left of them.

That is what makes her uncomfortable with death - that which remains behind - not their bodies.

Ghosts are intangible but far too real. Ziva knows that all too well. Ari's spirit haunts her entire first year at NCIS. There are weeks on end that she sleeps for only an hour a night, nightmares haunting her every slumbering moment.

In life, Ziva has never met Caitlin Todd. From a distance, through binoculars or a camera lens, she's seen the woman, but they had never spoken or passed one another on the street.

Still Ziva has felt her presence from the moment she began working at NCIS. Her ghost haunted the halls, spoke to her teammates and guarded her former desk like a faithful dog. Ziva does her best to ignore it. What else can she do? But she feels Kate's presence every moment as she tries to find a place for herself amidst this team.

Nowhere is this more clear than when she's around Abby. The ghost of Kate is present in every conversation that they have. It's in the way that Abby glares at her and the way that sometimes she can't quite look at Ziva. At best it's a momentary hitch in what Abby is about to say. At worst it's the moment when, upon waking in Ziva's arms, she smiles in the brief moment before opening her eyes, only to flinch when they open.

That is the moment that she hates and fears most, the ghost she cannot meet, the fight she cannot win. 


	21. Perplexed

**Title: **Perplexed  
**Fandom: **NCIS  
**Pairing:** Ziva/Abby  
**Spoilers:** None  
**Summary: **Goofy, silly fluffyness.  
**Rating: **G  
**Disclaimer:** These characters belong to DPB, CBS, Paramount, et al. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

"Ziva?" Abby's voice drifting out from the kitchen was even more perplexed than usual.

"Yes," Ziva answered as she got out from the couch and headed into the kitchen. She leaned against the door frame and smiled at the picture Abby presented.

She was staring at the counter space that was completely covered by small, brightly colored, rectangular, cardboard boxes. Her hands were thrown out in front of her and her raised eyebrows were begging for an explanation.

"Girl Scout cookies?"

"Yes." Ziva responded as if it were terribly common place. "They came and asked for money to support their troop."

"So you really like Girl Scout cookies," Abby asked with a light laugh. "I mean, that's cool. Girl Scout cookies are like the best thing on Earth. Maybe not as awesome as Caf-Pow!, but it would be a very close tie."

"I do not know. I've never had them before." Ziva shrugged and disappeared into the living room for a moment. She came back with her drink, to find Abby staring at her with even more puzzlement.

"Then why did you buy them?"

"Their troop needed the money." Ziva said it as if it was the simplest, most obvious thing in the world.

Abby laughed for an instant and then sobered. "That was really sweet, you know?"

Ziva shrugged again, clearly uncomfortable with Abby's admiring scrutiny.

Abby smiled mischievously. "So now that you've bought at least a dozen boxes of them, wanna try one?"


	22. Simple Decisions

**Title: **Simple Decisions  
**Fandom: **NCIS  
**Pairing:** Kate/Abby  
**Spoilers:** None  
**Summary: **Kate has a very important question to ask Abby.  
**Rating: **PG  
**Disclaimer:** These characters belong to DPB, CBS, Paramount, et al. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

"My place or yours?"

The words weren't a sultry, flirty come-on. Kate was too tired for those words to even spark a rush of fire through her veins. She had been running on adrenaline for hours now, and it seemed as if even adrenaline couldn't do anything for her at this point.

"Mine," Kate exhaled the word with a tired sigh. The single word was all she could seem to manage at the moment.

"'Kay," Abby agreed with a nod.

She stumbled slightly in her tall boots and Kate reached a hand out to steady her. Abby wrapped her arm around Kate's waist and held her close. At any other moment, Kate would have protested. They were in public and at work no less. There were dozens of people around who knew them, but didn't know about them.

Tonight she was too tired to care, and Abby's arm around her waist made her safe and secure. She leaned her head against Abby's shoulder and they walked to Abby's hearse in silence.

When they reach Kate's apartment, it didn't take them long to undress and stumble into bed together. They'd been together long enough that simply falling asleep next to one another wasn't awkward anymore. Kate rolled over onto her side and Abby snuggled up next to her.

The haze of sleep was falling over them gently as they tried to ease the cares of the day from their mind. Idly Kate's fingers stroked up and down Abby's arm where it was draped over her. The peacefulness of the moment hit Kate with a suddenness that was almost jarring.

She was never peaceful after a day like this one. Exhausted, grumpy, sad, or angry, but never peaceful. The difference she knew, without having to over think it, was simply Abby's presence here beside her. And if there was one thing she'd learned from her job, it was to never waste a chance, because if you waited, one day it would be too late.

Kate rolled over until she could look at Abby.

"Move in with me?"

Her words were slightly slurred, but they caught Abby's attention loud and clear.

"Kate-"

Even as tired as she was a thousand reasons why that wouldn't be a good idea flashed through Abby's mind. She was horrible at commitment; their jobs were too dangerous; she and Kate were too different. She looked over into Kate's eyes and her suggestion that it probably wouldn't be a good idea died unspoken on her tongue.

"Yeah, I will." She put her fingers through Kate's and gave them a light squeeze. A thought crossed her mind and Abby narrowed her eyes. "Are you going to remember this in the morning?"

"Of course," Kate grinned at her. "I'm going to remember this for the rest of my life."

Abby laughed and dropped her head back down to the pillow. Who would ever have suspected that Kate Todd had a cheesy, romantic side?


	23. Follow Through

**Title: **Follow Through  
**Fandom: **NCIS  
**Pairing:** Kate/Abby  
**Spoilers:** None  
**Summary: **It's moving day!  
**Rating: **PG  
**Disclaimer:** These characters belong to DPB, CBS, Paramount, et al. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

Moving in hadn't been easy on either of them, although it may have gone more smoothly if they hadn't talked Tony into helping them out with the heavy lifting.

"You've got to be kidding me," Kate muttered under her breath as she walked into her bedroom and found herself staring at Abby's coffin.  They hadn't talked about it, but Abby had never complained about Kate's bed on the many nights that she'd spent there, so Kate had just assumed that Abby wouldn't be bringing her coffin.

The sound of Tony's laughter from behind her made Kate spin on her heel and glare at him.

"What's so funny, DiNozzo?"

"You - freaking out about Abb's coffin.  That's pretty funny, Kate."

"Shut up, Tony."  Kate hissed, squeezing the bridge of her nose and then letting her hand drop back down to her side.  She and Abby needed to talk, but she wasn't sure she wanted to do it with Tony standing over them. Besides she wasn't sure how to approach that conversation with Abby. 

Abby had after all warned her that maybe moving in together wouldn't be the best idea, but it had been a wonderful moment and a wonderful feeling.  Kate couldn't help but want to have that all of the time.  She just wasn't sure she could handle the actuality of it.

"Kate!" 

Abby was bouncing slightly on the balls of her toes.  She gave a huge smile when Kate turned to look at her. 

"Abby-"  Her hesitation was obvious in Kate's voice. "I'm not sure I can do this," she whispered softly. 

"Do what, Kate," Abby asked softly, some of the manic energy that she exhibited draining away.

"This." Kate waved her hand around at the cluttered apartment, now scattered with cardboard boxes and odd pieces of what she assumed was art. Not to mention the coffin.  "Here.  Us." 

"Kate." 

Abby caught one of Kate's wildly gesturing hands and pinned it against her chest.  With her other hand, she forced Kate to look at her.

"Talk to me." 

The look in her eyes and the gentle plea in her voice caught Kate immediately.  She took a deep breath and then let it out slowly. 

"I want what we had.  I want you here with me all of the time, but I'm not sure that I'm prepared for what that would mean," Kate forced the words out, carefully enunciating them all.

Abby bit her lip.  "I'm scared too, Kate."   She looked down. "Do you want to not do this?"

_It was a crazy and ridiculous idea_, Kate reminded herself.  _I asked her on the spur of the moment.  It won't really make a difference.  This is how we've been for months. _ But Kate knew that if she backed out now, something would be changed forever between she and Abby and she couldn't stand that. 

"No."  She looked up at Abby.  "We're still doing this."  Kate paused.  "You still want to do this?" 

A flash of a smile.  "Yeah." 

"Good," Kate leaned in and kissed Abby, letting the kiss soothe away the last of her fears and calm them both.  "But Abby?  We have to do something about the coffin."


	24. On the Edge

**Title: **On the Edge  
**Fandom: **NCIS  
**Pairing:** Jenny, Ziva  
**Spoilers:** Kill Ari I & II  
**Summary: **_JENNY: She's damn good. And I owe her. She saved my life in Cairo two years ago._  
**Rating: **PG-13  
**Disclaimer:** These characters belong to DPB, CBS, Paramount, et al. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

She was panting so hard she could hardly breathe. It felt as if there was no way that any oxygen could be getting to her blood stream, air was rushing back out of her lungs almost as quickly as she pulled it in. There was nothing that Jenny could do about it at the moment though, other than to force herself to keep running and searching for a place where she could hide.

If she stopped running, she died. It was that simple.

She almost lost her footing going around a corner and only catching her hand on the corner of a building kept her upright. Her momentum was destroyed though and she tried to force herself to pick the pace back up.

She'd been running since she'd discovered - at the wrong end of a gun - that her cover had been blown.

There had been no time for anything, no trying to talk her way out of it, no explanation of what had happened, just a gun in her face, no time to think and running like hell.

Now that she was slowly starting to think though, she realized that something was wrong. Worse than her cover being blown was how it had been blown. There had been no hints of distrust, and no signs that anyone had grown suspicious. In Jenny's experience, there were always signs, even if you didn't recognize them until later.

This time there were none, which meant that her cover hadn't been blown. Someone had told them - someone either from NCIS or Mossad - that she was an agent infiltrating them.

That meant that Ziva was in danger too and she didn't know it.

She glanced behind her and seeing no one slowed to a jarring stop. Jenny ducked inside a store front and glanced around for a pay phone. Hopefully Ziva would still be at the hotel waiting for her.

There was nothing. Jenny cursed and slammed the phone down. She turned and began to weave her way through the crowded store. She'd only taken two steps when she drew up shortly at the the sight of her attacker striding through the doors. She froze but he'd already seen her.

Instinctively Jenny ducked, throwing herself in the opposite direction, but there was nothing that solid enough to shelter her and no where that she could go.

In the split instant that she had to think, she changed direction and charged straight towards him. There was nothing to lose.

Two gunshots ripped through the air, and in front of Jenny her attacker gaped and then fell to the ground. Blood seeped from the twin wounds.

She looked up and into Ziva's eyes.

"You saved my life."


	25. The First Rule

**Title: **The First Rule  
**Fandom: **NCIS  
**Pairing:** Kate/Abby, Abby/Ofc  
**Spoilers:** The first two seasons very generally?  
**Summary: **Abby takes Kate to get a tattoo.  
**Rating: **PG  
**Disclaimer:** These characters belong to DPB, CBS, Paramount, et al. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

"It's just a tattoo, Kate."

"Says the woman who has eleven tattoos."

"Only ten," Abby protested. "Besides, this was your idea. I would never try to talk you into doing something you don't want to do, especially when we're talking about permanent body art."

Kate turned away from the wall where she'd been staring at the many designs that were available from the artists. She reached out for Abby's arm, wrapping her fingers around Abby's forearm and holding her close.

"Have you ever regretted getting any of your tattoos?"

"No." The word flew out of Abby's mouth so quickly that Kate raised an eyebrow. Her response seemed almost too quick and too certain.

"Well, okay, I don't regret it now, but yeah, there were a few months there that I wasn't too happy about it."

"Which one," Kate asked, suddenly intrigued. She had been more than slightly surprised by Abby's response. She never would have guessed that Abby had once regretted one of her tattoos. They all seemed to be such an integral part of her, a part that Kate had been charmed by almost immediately and eventually grown to love.

"This one," Abby said, twisting her arm up to show the simple letter on the inside of her right wrist.

Kate's fingers traced the ornate 'P' that was inked there. "I always wondered what it stood for," she said softly, looking up at Abby as her fingers still glided over the marked skin.

"Peggy," Abby said with a laugh. "She hated her name, so she would only let me get the 'P' put on there." She smiled, a little sadly, Kate thought, but it was a smile nonetheless. "So when she left, I decided to keep it, just as a reminder."

Kate's heart ached at the remembered pain in her lover's voice. Gently she leaned forward and kissed Abby, hoping to erase the pain of the memory and bring a smile to her face. It was a rare thing for Kate to indulge in a public display of affection and Abby knew that.

The gesture was very much appreciated, and Abby's smile when Kate slowly pulled away was brilliant.

"That brings up the first rule of getting a tatoo." Abby wrinkled her nose. "Never get anyone's name. It only leads to kicking yourself later."

Kate laughed, "Does that mean that I won't be getting your name tattoo'd on my ass?" She smiled. "Because I really think I could live with that."

Abby stared at her blankly for a moment. "You surprise me sometimes, Kate Todd, but I totally mean that in a good way."


	26. Invitation

**Title: **Invitation  
**Fandom: **NCIS  
**Pairing:** Jenny/Hollis  
**Spoilers:** Season 5, I guess.  
**Summary: **Hollis Mann runs into someone she didn't expect.  
**Rating: **PG  
**Disclaimer:** These characters belong to DPB, CBS, Paramount, et al. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

Four slender, petite, carefully manicured fingers caught the elevator door at the last moment.

Obligingly Hollis hit the door open button and waited for her impatient fellow passenger to step on board. A flash of red hair caught her attention and an instant later she realized who had commandeered her elevator.

"Director Sheppard," she greeted the other woman with a polite nod.

"Colonel Mann," Jenny returned the greeting with surprise evident in her voice. "I didn't expect to see you here."

"Yes, Ma'am," Mann acknowledged. "Although it's no longer Colonel. My retirement came through two weeks ago."

"Congratulations,"Jenny said with genuine warmth. "Have you given my offer any further consideration," she inquired as the elevator dropped towards their destination.

Mann coughed. "I appreciate the offer, Ma'am, but I'm not sure that would be the best course of action."

Jenny seemed slightly startled. "May I ask why you think that?"

Hollis looked slightly taken aback by Jenny's continued inquiries, and then looked back up to meet Jenny's gaze directly.

"Jethro and I are no longer involved."

"I'm sorry to hear that," Jenny replied politely, not showing any surprise that she may have felt.

"Really, Ma'am?" Hollis asked bluntly. "I always had the impression that you were unhappy with my relationship with Jethro."

"There's nothing between Jethro and I," Jenny stated, boldly refuting Hollis' claim.

Hollis gave her a stare that invited her to try that statement on someone who was not an experienced, trained investigator.

"Anything that might have been between Jethro and I was over years ago," Jenny tried again, this time sounding more tired than anything else.

There was a moment of tense silence as Hollis considered what Jenny had said.

"Is Jethro the only reason you wouldn't be interested in joining NCIS," Jenny asked after the silence had dragged out long enough. "It wouldn't be necessary for you to come in contact with him at work if that's something you would prefer to avoid."

"There is another reason," Hollis admitted.

"Oh," Jenny asked, with surprise and interest. The last time they had spoken, Hollis had certainly seemed interested enough. "And what is that?"

"It's personal," Hollis said with a smile that gave away nothing.

Jenny arched a reddish-blonde brow. "And your other reason wasn't?"

Hollis snorted softly.

"You don't like to take no for an answer do you, Director?"

Jenny shook her head, and answered her with a sharp smile. "Not particularly."

"Mmm," Hollis agreed. "I can see that." She tilted her head to the side, and considered Jenny for a moment. "Then consider this my answer."

She slapped the door close button on the elevator and took a step closer to Jenny. She held Jenny's gaze as she leaned down to meet Jenny's lips with her own. She captured them in a kiss that was both gentle and controlling. Jenny pushed back against her lips, struggling to take control of the kiss and the moment.

Hollis pulled away before she could.

"And what do you have to say to that, Ma'am?"

Jenny smirked. "I think I might understand your personal reason, but clarification - lengthy clarification - might be necessary."

"I'm always willing to work with NCIS."

"Is that your answer," Jenny asked, momentarily dragging the conversation back around.

Hollis only gave her an amused smile. "We'll see."


	27. Watching

**Title: **Watching  
**Fandom: **NCIS  
**Pairing:** Ziva/Abby  
**Spoilers:** Bloodbath  
**Summary: **The failed Abby once; she almost got killed. Ziva won't let it happen again.  
**Rating: **PG-13  
**Disclaimer:** These characters belong to DPB, CBS, Paramount, et al. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

Ziva watched the small group of people stagger out of the club. The person that she was looking for stood out even in this unique crowd. Abby was taller than the rest. The small smile that had slipped over Ziva's face at their obviously cheerful exit from the club disappeared when she saw one of the obviously drunk young men staggering towards the driver's seat of a car. Her lips pressed into a thin line when she saw Abby actually get into the car with him.

She had promised herself that she would only watch and not interfere unless it was necessary. She had told Gibbs that she was only watching because if their first suspect wasn't the real threat, then what if the second wasn't either? He had been a threat, more than the boyfriend, but perhaps he wasn't _the_ threat?

Her argument had convinced him enough to allow her to keep an eye on Abby - an eye that Abby was unaware of and would undoubtedly be upset about should she find out. It was not reason enough to prevent Ziva from acting at this moment.

Ziva got out of the car, and slammed the door behind her. Her boots thudded against the concrete with a sharp staccato noise as she crossed the street. She yanked open the door and grabbed Abby's wrist. She pulled the very startled woman out of the car and quickly dropped her other hand to Abby's waist to steady her as she swayed dangerously in her high heels.

"Ziva? What are you doing here?" Abby slurred her words slightly, but her outrage and bewilderment still came through clearly.

"I am stopping you from getting yourself killed."

Unconsciously Ziva's fingers tightened around Abby's wrist. Abby yelped at the sudden increase in pressure. Ziva let go immediately, but quickly caught a hold of her elbow when it looked as if she were going to sag back against the car again.

"I will take you home," Ziva added definitely, and pulled Abby a little bit closer so that she could shut the door of the car behind them.

Distantly Ziva heard Abby's friends protesting, but she ignored them as she pushed Abby back across the street towards her own car.

Both women remained silent for the relatively short drive back to Abby's place.

Abby got out of the car before Ziva did and almost tripped over the curb. The grit of the concrete bit into her hands as she tried to catch herself. Ziva helped her up slowly, and then wrapped and arm around her to steady her.

She picked up one of Abby's hands and turned it over. It was red and raw where the skin had been scrapped. A few drops of blood stood out sharply against her pale skin.

"This needs to be cleaned."

Abby nodded wearily and dropped her head against Ziva's shoulder. She was no longer protesting or angry as she let Ziva lead her into her place.

"You never answered me," Abby pointed out in a scratchy voice, as she dropped onto the couch.

Ziva disappeared for a moment into the kitchen and came back with a damp rag. She took Abby's hand and began to carefully wipe away the dirt and grit until it was clean. Gently she placed it back in Abby's lap.

"I wanted to be certain that you were alright." Ziva glanced away. "We let you down once; I did not want it to happen again."

"That's sweet," Abby said with a smile that warmed Ziva. "But you didn't have to."

"I wanted to," Ziva spoke quickly, suddenly uncomfortable with the turn of events. She hadn't planned on Abby actually seeing her.

The intensity of Abby's stare suddenly caught her attention. She was transfixed, caught like a deer in the sudden shine of headlights, by the look in Abby's eye. Without a conscious decision she leaned forward to meet Abby's lips.

Only to have Abby suddenly slump away from her, her eyes falling shut. A second of panic was broken by a soft snore, prompting Ziva to flush at the sudden sharp ache of disappointment in her chest.

She sighed and set about making Abby more comfortable on the couch, first straightening her position and then removing her shoes. She pulled a blanket over her and then stood. She could only hope that there would be other nights, both like and unlike this one.


	28. Good Surprise

**Title: **Good Surprise  
**Fandom: **NCIS  
**Pairing:** Ziva/Courtney  
**Spoilers:** 5.04 Identity Crisis  
**Summary: **Ziva and Courtney take their moments when they can.  
**Rating: **PG  
**Disclaimer:** These characters belong to DPB, CBS, Paramount, et al. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

"Ah. Hello."

The surprise that Ziva felt at seeing Courtney sitting at her desk was quickly replaced by a feeling of happiness. She dropped her bag on her desk and leaned over to kiss Courtney's cheek. The blush that spread to the root of Courtney's light brown hair was adorable and brought a smile to Ziva's face.

"Tony said that I could use your desk," Courtney explained as she tried to fight back her blush.

Ziva glanced towards her partner's desk and confirmed that it was empty.

"Oh, he went with Agent Fornell. Agent Gibbs told him to," Courtney explained a hint of nervousness in her voice.

Ziva perched on the edge of her desk and didn't even try to erase the smile that was still on her face. She hadn't expected to see Courtney here and didn't know that they'd be working with the FBI today, but it was a far more pleasant surprise than most of the job related surprises that she'd had in her career.

"We are sharing a case with the FBI?"

Courtney passed the case file over to Ziva. She studied it carefully for a moment before she closed it and looked back over at Courtney.

"Gibbs and Fornell left you here, yes?"

"They told me to bring you up to speed and then see if Abby had gotten anywhere with our evidence."

A smile flashed across Ziva's lips. She wondered what Abby would have to say when she came in with Courtney. Sometimes the goth scientist was far too perceptive.

"We should go check with her then," Ziva declared and rose from where she'd been perched on the desk.

She waited for Courtney to catch up and they headed for the elevator together. Ziva waited until they were on the elevator and the doors had closed behind them before she leaned in to steal a proper kiss from Courtney. The younger agent responded by burying her hands in Ziva's hair at the back of her neck and holding her close as the kiss deepened.

Ziva pulled away and stepped back to Courtney's side just before the doors dinged and opened to show Abby's lab. She stayed back, forcing Courtney to step past her.

"I enjoyed last night very much," Ziva whispered into her ear just as Courtney passed by her.

The delicate blush the flushed across Courtney's face at her words was Ziva's reward. The look she shot Ziva a moment later made Ziva think that tonight would be very interesting indeed.


	29. Brunette

**Title: **Brunette  
**Fandom: **NCIS  
**Pairing:** Kate/Abby  
**Spoilers:** No spoilers really.  
**Summary: **Kate and Abby meet unexpectedly. Set sometime after 1.02, but before 1.03.  
**Rating: **PG  
**Disclaimer:** These characters belong to DPB, CBS, Paramount, et al. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

"What about the brunette over by the bar?"

Abby glanced casually over her shoulder and tried to figure out who Tony was referring to.

"Where," she finally conceded.

"Down by the end. In the suit."

"Oh." His choice caught Abby by surprise. She looked back over at him. "Are you sure?"

Tony nodded. "She kept glancing over here at you."

"She wasn't looking at you? She seems like more your type, Tony."

The amused grin he gave her was full of easy confidence. "Trust me, Abs. I know when a woman's looking at me. She was looking at you."

Abby glanced back over her shoulder and then frowned slightly. "She's gone."

Tony smirked slightly. So Abby was more interested than she was letting on. He should have known.

"She's dancing."

Abby swiveled around in her seat, glancing quickly to the dance floor, trying to pick the woman out of the crowd. She took one quick sip of her beer and flashed Tony a smile. "Don't wait up for me, Tony."

He laughed. "Never fear, Abs."

He didn't move as she walked away though. Instead he waited and watched. What he hadn't told Abby was that he'd recognized the woman. It was the newest member of their team - Kate Todd.

Abby danced through the crowd, moving with the pounding rhythm until she was dancing next to the woman who Tony had pointed out to her.

She was gorgeous, that much Abby could tell, but not much more. She flashed her a bright smile as the woman glanced in her direction. Abby froze. Her jaw dropping in complete surprise.

"Kate?" She shook her head, her pigtails swinging back and forth dangerously. "But Tony said-" She cut herself off in mid-sentence. "Oh."

The music which had seemed perfect a moment before suddenly seemed too loud.

"You want to go somewhere quieter?" Abby asked, yelling to be heard.

It took the look on Kate's face for Abby to realize how that had come out.

"To talk," she added quickly.

Kate surprised her by nodding and reaching out for her hand. Their hands fit together perfectly as Kate pulled her off of the dance floor. They staggered on to the street outside, stopping once the flow of people had thinned and the noise level dropped.

Awkward silence enveloped them for a moment, until Abby looked over at Kate, a bright grin taking over her features.

"Were you really checking me out? Tony said you were."

"I-" Kate frowned and Abby could see her weighing her decision to tell the truth or not. "Yes."

If it was possible, Abby's grinned widened.

"Cool." Abby paused. "You're pretty hot yourself."

Kate's laughter took Abby by surprise. "Thank you," she murmured softly, looking down at their joined hands. "So, if I were to ask you for your number right now and if maybe you wanted to go out sometime after work..."

"I would totally say yes."

Kate smiled. It was the first real smile that Abby had seen from her and she realized it made her even more beautiful.

"I'm going to hold you to that, Abby." She hesitated for a minute, her smile fading slightly. "What about DiNozzo? I-"

Abby squeezed her hand, cutting her off mid-sentence. "Don't worry about it. Tony won't say anything."  
Kate arched an eyebrow in disbelief.

"He won't," Abby reassured her seriously and then flashed a mischievous grin, "I know many things Kate, even about Tony. He won't say anything because he knows that I'll spill his secrets if he does."

Kate looked at her with a whole new level of respect. "You're kind of an evil genius, aren't you Abby?"

Abby laughed and squeezed her hand. Together they walked down the street. It was the beginning of something beautiful.


	30. Ache

**Title: **Ache  
**Fandom: **NCIS  
**Pairing:** Jenny/Ziva  
**Spoilers:** The end of Season 4 and the beginning of Season 5.  
**Summary: **Ziva is concerned about Jenny's obsession with La Gren  
**Rating: **PG  
**Disclaimer:** These characters belong to DPB, CBS, Paramount, et al. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

Jenny wants La Grenouille so bad that she can taste it. It's an ache in her that never quite leaves. She plans other missions, oversees her teams of agents and looks to the daily business that keeps her agency running, but through it all _he_ never leaves her thoughts.

Her search for vengeance has been a long one, filled with false starts and far too little information, but through Tony she's getting close. So very close. The distance feels impossible though. She doesn't know what she'll do when she's done. Will the ache be filled? Will it go away? She doesn't allow herself to think about the outcome.

Today they were even closer. Ducky spoke to him and drank his cognac. Ziva had him in her sights and there was no way that she would miss.

If she had given the command Ziva would have taken the shot and _he _would have been dead.

Jenny's fingers clenched around the paper that she held in her hand, crumbling it until it was ruined. She looked down and forced herself to let it go.

She looked back up and found Ziva staring at her from across her desk. She was sitting on the couch in the corner and watching Jenny calmly.

Anger flared harshly in Jenny.

"What are you doing here? Did Gibbs send you? He can mind his own business."

Ziva arched an eyebrow at her and Jenny flushed. In the grip of her anger, she'd spilled out careless words. It wasn't like her.

She met Ziva's eyes for a long moment and then asked: "Are you going to warn me about this too? Tell me that what I'm doing is foolish."

"It is not foolish to wish to avenge a loved one," Ziva spoke for the first time in a quiet voice that Jenny had to strain to hear.

"Then why are you here?" Jenny's demand was none too kind.

"I am here," Ziva said simply, "For you."

Jenny turned the words over in her mind. _I'm here for you._ They had a trite sentimentality most often found on Hallmark cards, and not a phrase heard coming from Ziva's lips.

The contemplation turned to anger in a split second. How dare Ziva presume that she needed her? How dare Ziva pity her? Her fist clenched.

Jenny met Ziva's gaze steadily and kept her voice smooth, steady and even.

"Get out."


	31. Candlelit

**Title: **Candlelit  
**Fandom: **NCIS  
**Pairing:** Ziva/Abby  
**Spoilers:** None.  
**Summary: **A quiet moment at the end of a long day.  
**Rating: **PG  
**Disclaimer:** These characters belong to DPB, CBS, Paramount, et al. No copyright infringement is intended.  
**Author's Note: **And...that's all folks. I can't believe I actually survived this month!

* * *

When Abby opened the door into her apartment, she expected dark, warmth to slap her in the face as she walked inside. Instead the air was pleasantly cool and smelled faintly of incense.

Abby shut the door behind her, dropped her keys on the small table beside the door and put her coat in the closet before she stopped to look around the room.

Candles were scattered across the surface of the room, creating a softly glowing light that was easy on her eyes after the long day that she'd spent examining minute samples under harsh lighting.

None of this had been here when she had left for work far too early that morning. Especially not the candles. The sight of a very familiar leather jacket tossed over the back of the couch confirmed Abby's suspicion's about who had done all of this and brought a smile to her face.

She glanced in the kitchen and then headed for the bedroom as she looked for her lover.

Ziva was walking out of the bathroom, two more candles in her hand, when Abby saw her.

The smile on Abby's face grew wider as she leaned tiredly against the door frame and watched Ziva come closer.

"Hey." The tone of Abby's voice was unmistakably fond. The moment that Ziva was close enough, Abby stepped away from the door frame and slipped her arms around Ziva, laying her head on Ziva's shoulder.

Ziva slipped her free arm around Abby's waist and held her close.

"I can't believe you did all of this before I got home," Abby exclaimed still holding Ziva close.

"I was inspired," Ziva said, pulling away from her just enough to reach up and press a light kiss on her lips.

"You should be inspired more often," Abby murmured. "This is amazing."

Ziva only smiled enigmatically and reached down to slip her fingers through Abby's. She set the candles that she'd been holding down on the small trunk that resided at the foot of the queen size bed that they had purchased not long after they'd gotten together. Their hands still joined, Ziva led Abby into the living room, never taking her eyes off of Abby as she did.

"Ziva?" Abby still wasn't certain what Ziva had planned, but she was certainly doing pretty well so far.

"Shhh," Ziva murmured, raising her free hand to put a finger of Abby's lips.

Abby complied, but with a sudden hint of playfulness puckered her lips to kiss it.

An amused smile flickered across Ziva's lips. "Dance with me?"

Abby blinked in surprise. It was an unusual request coming from Ziva. They'd gone clubbing together before, dancing in the anonymity of a darkened room packed with frenetic sweaty bodies, but never just the two of them together in the silence of her living room.

Slowly Abby slipped her arms around Ziva's waist, savoring the contact as Ziva's hands stroked up her arms and draped around her neck. She moved closer until every inch of the front of her body was pressed up against Ziva's.

In silence, they swayed together to a rhythm entirely their own.

(31/31)


End file.
